


When the Sun Sets, I’ll be Here Still

by StupidGenius



Series: Our Destiny, Intertwined [5]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt, Geralt thinks about stuff and is sad, Old Age, but Geralt doesn't know that, this is not what it seems, thoughts of death and mortality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22635949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StupidGenius/pseuds/StupidGenius
Summary: Geralt is a witcher, and Jaskier is human. Up until now, he’d never really thought about what that actually meant---A short interlude.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Our Destiny, Intertwined [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621027
Comments: 58
Kudos: 2227
Collections: Just.... So cute...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’d like to start by thank you all for your kind comments through this series. I haven’t written in a while and it was incredibly encouraging to see. I’d also like to thank y’all for your descriptions of the other Witchers, because there’s no way I was gonna stop to read the read the books or play the games before I started the next part.
> 
> Y’all are so very sweet, pls enjoy!

Jaskier has been traveling with Geralt for over two decades.

He hadn’t really thought about it, before. Hadn’t noticed until Yennefer was helpful enough to point it out, but - Jaskier is a human, and humans age. Witchers, too, but it’s not the same. Geralt could live another couple hundred years, maybe more. He’s not sure. It’s not like there’s a Witcher out there who’s death wasn’t caused by fighting monsters. But Jaskier?

Jaskier does not have all that time.

When he found him, Jaskier was a young man. Maybe just barely no longer considered a boy. Age hadn’t weathered him yet. His joints didn’t click or stiffen in cold, his hands were deft and strong. And they didn’t, still, but for how long? He hadn’t noticed, when he first found Jaskier in Sodden, too caught up in the joy of seeing him again and the worry at his injuries. But there is grey in his hair. There are new lines in his face.

“ _I mean, I probably won’t be able to walk alongside roach like I did before, but I think I’ll be fine_.”

He wonders how much time they really have left. How long Jaskier has until he can no longer keep up.

“ _I’d follow you for the rest of my life if you’ll have me_.”

Jaskier says it so sincerely. So simply, as if the words don’t shake Geralt to his core.

And he knows it’s true. Jaskier would follow Geralt anywhere, and Geralt would do the same. It’s a realization that punches the breath out of him. He would do anything Jaskier asks. Next time he asks to run off to the coast, Geralt will go. Wherever he wants, whenever he wants.

Geralt will follow him for the rest of Jaskier’s life. He will be there until he is no longer wanted, because he owes him that at least.

No matter how painful.

He loves him, and he will take whatever Jaskier will give him.

“I...” Geralt drops his hand from Jaskier’s face as if it burns, stepping back. The angry, hurt beast in him wants to push him away. Wants to run and hide. “I’ll always have you, Jaskier. I should go check on Ciri.”

He doesn’t see the way Jaskier wilts, or Yennefer’s purple eyes watching him walk away in disbelief. When he gets to Ciri’s room, she knows there’s something bothering him just by looking at him.

“What’s wrong? Did Jaskier say no?” She asks. He shakes his head.

“No, no. He said yes.” He tells her. She frowns.

“So why do you look sad?”

“I’m not.” He lies. He thinks of saving his coin, and wonders how long it will be until he can get Jaskier a house on the coats like he wants. Maybe it will be safe for Ciri there. Maybe they can spend the rest of Jaskier’s life there, and that will be enough for the restless animal inside him. Maybe he won’t live in a world where Jaskier’s sweet songs are no longer in the air.

Maybe.

Geralt will be there until the end, and then he will not stay any more.

“Would you like to hear about Kaer Morhen?” He asks.

Her face brightens, and she nods eagerly.

He pushes Jaskier’s humanity far, far out of his mind.


	2. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ah - Yes. I am. Technically. I’m - I’m an orphan. My parents...” He lets a rough breath out his nose, and his hands still shake. “My father was killed in the ‘great cleansing’. Maybe my mother was too. It’s not like I can ask her.”
> 
> Wait.
> 
> The great cleansing? That isn’t possible. It was officially called off long before Jaskier was born, certainly. He doesn’t know the bard’s exact age, but he doesn’t look old enough to had been around even during it’s last legs.
> 
> “I don’t understand.” Geralt admits. Jaskier takes another deep breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because someone asked and i wanted to, here's Geralt's POV of jaskier's reveal in 'Destiny's Sweet Kiss'

He can hear him before he even steps into the room, Jaskier’s heart is pounding so hard. It puts him on edge. Only moments ago he’d been – he’d been _fine_ , at least fine enough to stand. When he comes into the room he looks like a scared and cornered rabbit. Ciri excuses herself with a knowing look, and Geralt has no idea what that means either.

“Is everything alright?” he asks. Jaskier just looks anywhere but at him, bottom lip caught between his teeth and raw. It doesn’t help him feel any better. “Jaskier? Did something happen?”

“N-no, no, nothing happened. Everything’s fine.”

It’s very obviously a lie.

“Then why can I hear your heart pounding from here? You’re scared.”

“It’s...I - um. I have to tell you something.” He gets out. “And to be honest, I’m not sure how you’ll take it.” He finally looks up, and for once in his life, he looks _afraid_ of Geralt. And he’d thought, a ear ago on that mountain, that seeing Jaskier’s face crumble as he’d said those horrible things had been the worst he’d felt before in his life. But _this_ – this is worse. Because there are so few things that Geralt can count on. The sun rises in the east, he’s a Witcher, and Jaskier isn’t afraid of him.

“I wouldn’t hurt you.” He stresses, trying to seem as unintimidating as possible.

“I know. I know that.” Jaskier shakes his head. The fear doesn’t disappear. His hand goes up to the amulet on his chest, quick and shaky. “I’m...I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely honest with you about myself.”

Geralt watches him, tense and confused. He can’t image a single thing that Jaskier could have kept form him that would make him love him any less than he already does.

“For one, my name isn’t really Julien Alfred Pankratz, which - I mean, technically it is, officially, but my birth parents named me Jaskier and up until I was six that had been my only name.”

“You’re adopted.” Geralt realizes. Jaskier nods, still nervous, and he just – he has no idea what could be so bad about this. He doesn’t care that Jaskier isn’t technically a noble.

“Ah - Yes. I am. Technically. I’m - I’m an orphan. My parents...” He lets a rough breath out his nose, and his hands still shake. “My father was killed in the ‘great cleansing’. Maybe my mother was too. It’s not like I can ask her.”

Wait.

The great cleansing? That isn’t possible. It was officially called off long before Jaskier was born, certainly. He doesn’t know the bard’s exact age, but he doesn’t look old enough to had been around even during it’s last legs.

“I don’t understand.” Geralt admits. Jaskier takes another deep breath.

“Right, um. I’m not human.” And he tugs off the pendant on his neck in one rough motion.

Geralt can do nothing but stare, for a moment.

It’s Jaskier, but it’s not the one he remembers. This Jaskier has long pointed ears and glowing eyes and the age has dissolved from his face, the only lines left from nerves. He feels almost dizzy with – with _something_. Relief, maybe. Because he had been ready to accept that Jaskier would die before him. That he’d have to watch him wither away in front of him – and maybe he will. Maybe he’ll stay with Jaskier for centuries more, maybe they’ll actually _grow old_ together and he’s somewhat disgusted in himself for thinking something so horribly romantic, but –

But maybe they can.

“I’m - I’m an elf. Mostly. My mother left me with the Pankratz family when I was a small child, and she gave me this for protection. And I mean to tell you before, really. By there never seemed to be a good time. And I didn’t - I was afraid you wouldn’t want to travel with me if you knew, at first. That maybe you’d turn back around and drop me off with Filivandrel in Posoda. And then even after I was sure you wouldn’t, I - I lied to you, I was lying to you the whole time we were traveling together, and I didn’t want to hurt you –”

“Jaskier –” Geralt tries to interrupt, but Jaskier is nearly an unstoppable force when he rambles on like this.

“You’d been hurt enough, I think. And then everyone just started to get so busy, we were becoming more recognizable, and –”

“Jaskier!” He says sharply. Jaskier’s mouth shuts with an audible click, chest heaving and eyes wide. He can’t stand that look, the scent of fear still lingering. Why would Jaskier ever think he would care about something like this?

He brings his hand up slowly, so he doesn’t startle him. Rests his thumb under Jaskier’s eye, over delicate skin. His face is starting to flush. Up close, his eyes are like lightning. They give off just enough light to make his lashes cast a faint shadow. He runs his thumb over it, and away, over to the sharp point of his ears. Longer than he’s seen before, but undoubtedly elven.

“You’re an elf.” Geralt repeats, quietly, marveling. How did he hide it for so long?

“I am. I’m sorry.”

Right. Because he had to.

“Don’t. Don’t apologize.” Geralt says firmly. He thinks of Filivandrel and his small camp. Jaskier had been there, pretending to be a human still, forcing himself to speak lies in the face of his people.

“You’re not mad?” Jaskier whispers.

As if he could ever be mad at him again.

“I’m surprised.” He admits. “But... _fuck_ , Jaskier.” He’s too…overwhelmed. He doesn’t know how exactly to feel. So he does the first thing that comes to mind and pulls Jaskier into a hug. He finds he’s able to give it more freely. Maybe that’s Ciri’s influence already. Or maybe it’s just because it’s Jaskier. The bard takes a sharp breath, hands tentative on Geralt’s sides. He pulls away slowly, face painfully hopeful.

Geralt has no fucking clue what’s being said to him, in this moment, because he is overcome with the urge to kiss him. So he does.

It’s somewhat sloppy. But its wonderful. Jaskier is eager and pliant under his hands, sighing softly into the kiss and all but falling into Great’s chest. When they pull apart, there’s an almost dreamy quality to his expression.

“Wha...I, um...” Jaskier says breathily.

Geralt did that to him.

“I don’t care what you are, Jaskier.” He whispers against Jaskier’s lips. “I love you in every form you can take.”

It takes him a moment to process the words, it seems. Geralt watches them sink in, watches his jaw drop a bit and eyes go wide. He feels himself smile, and Jaskier gapes at him.

“You...fuck.” He gasps. “Oh. I love you so fucking much.”

“That’s good to hear.” Geralt says wryly. Jaskier finally breaks out of his daze and swats Geralt lightly on his side. The fear is gone, nothing but the scent of fresh flowers left in it’s wake.

“You! We could have been doing this for ages, instead of pining pitifully at each other. How long...?”

“I’m not sure.” Geralt admits honestly. “Since Kaedwen, probably.”

It’s been longer, he knows. He’d just never been in love before. How could he have known?

“That was _six years ago_.”

“Hmm.” He noses at Jaskier’s neck.

The tension he’d been feeling since their conversation earlier fades. Jaskier loves him.

 _Jaskier loves him_.

And he’s staying with him for, hopefully, a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come follow me on my tumblr (littleredtheboy)
> 
> Also this wasn't Beta'd bc im impatient.

**Author's Note:**

> The next installment is going to have 2 chapters, and be a bit longer, so it'll take more time I thought i'd post this for yall in the meantime.
> 
> Someone commented in a previous part of the series that they'd like to see Geralt's thoughts on Jaskier's aging so here it is! If you have any suggestions for one shots in this universe, please leave them in the comments! And bc I’m excited about it, I’ll just tell y’all now - I’m going to start writing a Pacific Rim AU after i post part 6 😊


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